Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Blue Earth County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $198,715 | $243,729 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 14.2% | 7.9% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,076 | $1,234 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 4.6% | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Blue Earth County is about 18% lower than in Minnesota. Rent is about 13% lower than the Minnesota average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Blue Earth County, up about 14.2% and 4.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Blue Earth County rose about 48.0% between 2015 and 2023, from $727 to $1,076. Over the same span, rent in Minnesota rose about 45.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 2.7 yearly household incomes in Blue Earth County.
Buying the median-priced home in Blue Earth County costs roughly 15.4 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Blue Earth County. The price-to-rent ratio in Minnesota is about 16.5.
| Metric | Blue Earth County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $198,715 | $243,729 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $73,321 | $88,383 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 2.7 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Blue Earth County rose about 124.7%, while median household income rose about 60.0% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Blue Earth County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 56.8% | 65.6% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 35.2% | 25.0% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 8.0% | 9.4% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2011 | 2011 |
Blue Earth County has a homeownership rate of 56.8%, lower than the Minnesota average of 65.6%. Its housing vacancy rate is 8.0%, compared with 9.4% in Minnesota.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Blue Earth County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.39 people | 2.44 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1977 | 1976 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 6.1 | 6.1 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Blue Earth County was built around 1977. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 6.1 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.
What is the median home price in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
The median home price in Blue Earth County, Minnesota is $198,715, lower than the Minnesota average of $243,729.
What is the average home price in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
The median gross rent in Blue Earth County, Minnesota is $1,076 per month, lower than the Minnesota average of $1,234.
What was the median gross rent in Blue Earth County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Blue Earth County, Minnesota was $912 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
The price-to-rent ratio in Blue Earth County, Minnesota is about 15.4, meaning it would take roughly 15.4 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a moderate price-to-rent ratio, where buying and renting are often similarly cost-effective in Blue Earth County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Blue Earth County, up about 14.2% and 4.6% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
56.8% of households in Blue Earth County, Minnesota own their home, lower than the Minnesota average of 65.6%.
What is the vacancy rate in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
The housing vacancy rate in Blue Earth County, Minnesota is 8.0%, lower than the Minnesota average of 9.4%.